Official movie site: sonypictures/casinoroyale.com
Overall, Casino Royal is a good movie. It is the 21st James Bond movie. It is kind of long in places yet still delivers as a Bond film. It also introduces British actor Daniel Craig as the new and sixth actor to portray James Bond. Movie-goers may remember Daniel Craig in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider as Angelina Jolie's love interest, Alex West.
Daniel Craig holds it down well as a new Bond. He delivers. A stone-cold hit-man who gets more physical in the action and fighting scenes than probably most Bonds we've seen until now. This guy is more like a Navy Seal in a suit. LOL. It has also been reported Craig signed a three picture deal for two more Bond movies so we will see him around for the next several years in this role.
There were times while watching this movie that I thought perhaps one of the reasons they chose Daniel Craig was possibly based on the success of a similar actor Jason Statham as the character Frank Martin in The Transporter who also cut a rugged action-hero type figure in a suit and both are departures from the typical smooth, charming James Bond figure we have come to know over the years as a spy agent.
Casino Royale also features something called Free Running (Free runners interact with their environment using movements such as vaulting, jumping, somersaults and other acrobatic movements) and a Poker Game that goes on so long at one point I felt like I was watching the World Poker Tour live on TV.
I bought a book in 2002 called 'The Rough Guide To James Bond' which I have been flipping through over the last four years that contains some great info on Ian Fleming, the origins, the books, movies, the villains, the cars, the leading ladies, etc. which was helpful knowledge going into this movie since they took the character back to his beginnings.
Baby Boomer Fans (James Bond fans born between 1946 and 1964) will probably know this already, but I found out in the book that Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel was titled Casino Royale in 1953 as well. (Ian Fleming's James Bond books have sold over 50 million copies worldwide.) This movie shows how Bond received his first mission as a 00, how he gets the Aston Martin, etc. (again, though they do take many liberties with his history).
The plot of the novel is Bond must neutralize a Russian agent known as 'Le Chiffre' by ruining him at the baccarat table, thus forcing his 'retirement'. But a beautiful female agent leads him to disaster - and a savior...
Casino Royale (2006) follows the same basic plot but of course with some changes made including circa 2006 twists and turns in the story and technology wise, etc.
Casino Royale's release on DVD is scheduled for March 27, 2007. As this movie was 145 minutes, (it seemed much longer than that) the DVD will probably be 2 Discs loaded with bonus features including the origins of James Bond.
If you are a die-hard James Bond fan you will probably enjoy this movie. It also works on the level as an intelligent action/romance film with some incredible location shots as per usual James Bond movie fare.
Bottom Line? The Holiday Season has begun, it's November and we have a new Bond movie in theaters again. Is it just me or does it seem like most Bond movies are released in November? I think EON Productions must have a signed and secured deal with Hollywood years ago to always have mid-November as "their time" to release James Bond movies. One of the biggest money making seasons for the movies. Two words come to mind: $ Holiday Marketing! $
At a $92 million intake gross worldwide (at the time of this post) since it's Nov. 17th release (see boxofficemojo.com) obviously, they have the formula down packed.
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